First responders spent 22 minutes trying to save the life of The Sopranos star Vincent Pastore, according to TMZ.
The site reports that Pastore, 80, hadn’t been seen for three days when he was found face up in bed by a neighbor at his home in the Bronx on Saturday afternoon.
Paramedics arrived swiftly after that neighbor called 911, but no on-site treatment worked to revive him before he was pronounced dead at 2:42 p.m. The cause of death was determined to be “natural causes” according to multiple outlets. The star had just celebrated his 80th birthday on July 14.
TMZ reports that an autopsy will not be performed.
Pastore played the mob enforcer Salvatore “Big P---y” Bonpensiero on The Sopranos for the first two seasons in 1999 and 2000, before recurring in Season 3 and making guest appearances throughout the others.
The lauded TV drama is regarded by many critics as one of the greatest series of all time. It ran for six seasons through 2007.
Pastore’s longtime manager, Robert Attermann, told Page Six in a statement, “To the world, he will always be remembered as the unforgettable ‘Big P---y,’ but to those of us who knew him, he was so much more. Vinny was one of the kindest, most generous people I have ever known.”
“He loved being an actor. He was passionate about his craft and was always encouraging, respectful, and generous with young actors, taking the time to offer guidance and support whenever he could.”
Lorraine Bracco, who played psychiatrist Dr. Jennifer Melfi on the show, called Pastore’s death “heartbreaking” in a post to Instagram Stories. She added, “Such a funny & charming man… just a beautiful soul.”
Michael Imperioli, who played the character Christopher Moltisanti in the series, also reacted in an Instagram post. “This is a hard one for us; it seems like I’ve known Vinny forever,” he wrote, calling Pastore “a kind-hearted brother who cared deeply about his family and friends,” and noting, “I will miss him always.”
Pastore acted in far more productions than just The Sopranos, with his IMDb page listing 183 other credits, including 12 more yet to come out. Not a bad achievement given the former nightclub owner didn’t get into acting until his 40s when he befriended Matt Dillon, who convinced him to try it.
Pastore was born in the Bronx and fought in the Vietnam War. He later obtained his drama degree from Pace University.
Other Sopranos cast members who have died in the past five years include Tony Sirico and Jerry Adler.
